ICE Arrests More Than 2,000 Illegal Migrants Across New York in ‘Operation Rotten Apple’
Federal immigration authorities arrested more than 2,000 illegal migrants across New York during a sweeping enforcement campaign dubbed “Operation Rotten Apple,” including convicted murderers, child rapists and other violent offenders, according to the Trump administration.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the monthlong operation resulted in 2,063 arrests statewide, with approximately 70% of those taken into custody having prior criminal convictions or pending criminal charges.
The enforcement surge targeted New York City as well as communities across Long Island, the Hudson Valley and upstate New York. Federal officials said the operation focused heavily on illegal migrants with serious criminal histories.
Among those arrested was a 47-year-old Mexican national previously convicted of second-degree murder. Authorities said he was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for the killing.
ICE also arrested a 46-year-old Salvadoran national whose criminal history includes convictions for first-degree rape and first-degree sexual abuse involving a child younger than 11.
Another Salvadoran national taken into custody had been convicted of attempted rape and endangering the welfare of a child, according to federal officials.
Authorities highlighted numerous other arrests involving convictions or charges related to assault, robbery, weapons offenses, drug crimes and sexual offenses.
The operation was carried out as the Trump administration continues dramatically expanding interior immigration enforcement and increasing pressure on sanctuary jurisdictions that limit cooperation between local authorities and federal immigration agents.
New York has become one of the administration’s biggest enforcement battlegrounds. Federal officials have repeatedly criticized state and local sanctuary policies, arguing they allow criminal illegal migrants to return to communities instead of being transferred directly into ICE custody.
ICE officials say those restrictions frequently force federal agents to locate and arrest individuals in neighborhoods, homes and workplaces rather than taking custody of them in secure jail facilities.
The administration argues that such policies make immigration enforcement more dangerous for officers, suspects and the surrounding public.
Federal officials also emphasized that Operation Rotten Apple was not limited exclusively to migrants with criminal records. Being unlawfully present in the United States can still make an individual subject to immigration enforcement even without a separate criminal conviction.
The arrests come as New York Democratic leaders continue clashing with the Trump administration over immigration policy. State and local officials have accused federal authorities of conducting overly aggressive enforcement operations, while the administration argues elected Democrats are obstructing federal law.
The operation also arrives amid a broader national effort to increase deportations and remove illegal migrants with criminal histories. The administration has deployed additional personnel and resources to jurisdictions where officials believe sanctuary policies have made enforcement more difficult.
ICE says its officers will continue targeting individuals who pose threats to public safety while also enforcing immigration laws against others found to be unlawfully present in the country.
For the Trump administration, the results of Operation Rotten Apple provide another example of why it says aggressive interior enforcement is necessary. With more than 2,000 arrests in New York alone — including individuals convicted of murder, rape and crimes against children — federal officials say the crackdown is far from over.